Finding Your Company's Spiritual Purpose

This book required two lifetimes before it could be written. The first lifetime was spent in the business world as a corporate PR executive for a household name company. The second lifetime featured three decades as an ordained non-denominational minister. Had not both careers dovetailed, I could not bring you this unique perspective that might make a difference for your organization-and the world. Both my careers had more in common than I could have ever expected. I hope you will find something here that will add even more to your company, corporation, LLC, or partnership's reputation and story. Every successful company has a reason to exist. It has identified a product or service that provides a needed benefit to current and potential customers. The best companies have found a way to keep delivering on that promise. Many corporate success stories have spanned multiple generations. Yet, the history of business failures is legion. Then there are the in-between companies who experienced profitability, even for many decades, before ending up forgotten and bankrupt. Unexpected change happens to companies as it does to individuals. Unless a corporation possesses strong underpinnings and a willingness to embrace new ways of doing business, it might be here today and gone tomorrow. I also believe there is another factor that can influence a company's longevity. Does the organization have a spiritual purpose for its existence? If it can identify and fulfill the inner needs of its employees, clients or customers, that might be the secret ingredient that determines long-term success or failure. Every corporation has a "culture." It is the sum of everybody ever associated with the company-its history and its people. Does the "culture" reflect integrity and spiritual purpose? Who were the founders? What drove them? Are they still around? Some part of them probably remains even if their physical presence is gone. Were the past officers and employees tuned into issues such as honesty and integrity? What about today? Some things rarely ever change. Does purpose, accountability and a service mentality run through the company today? Does it possess an identifiable spiritual purpose or "cause"? Does it still have an important place in the lives of its customers? The spiritual component of a company or organization may seem like an obscure and unrelated factor. However, I believe it might be the elusive x-factor that makes the difference between corporate success and failure.